


What Really Matters

by LordWellington



Category: Archie Comics & Related Fandoms
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-27
Updated: 2017-06-30
Packaged: 2018-11-19 17:53:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11318580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LordWellington/pseuds/LordWellington
Summary: Betty returns to Riverdale. Going home is never easy, especially when you're on a life or death mission.





	1. The Arrival

The door to Pop’s Choklit Shoppe was exactly as she remembered it. It was too many years since she stepped foot in Riverdale. Seeing Archie give Veronica a congratulatory kiss after they threw their high school mortar boards in the air was the final straw in her devotion to him. He would always be chained to Veronica and nothing Betty could do would change that. Her reasons to visit Riverdale diminished over time.

The bob cut brunette wig fit snugly over her head, keeping her blonde curls pushed tight against her scalp. The prosthetic mole on her right upper cheek was designed to draw attention away from her small town good looks and hopefully prevent anyone from recognizing her. She used some makeup to lighten it, but it only served to make it more noticeable. Pushing open the door, she stepped inside. Smells from her teen life wafted over her, the smell of burgers and the sweet scent of cinnamon ice cream. Another date that Archie forgot, another meeting with Jughead to pour out her heart, another group dinner where she and Veronica glared at each other. But other memories were there too, her work at the local rest home, helping Reggie with his trig homework, her first kiss with Archie in “their” spot. A familiar figure sat at the counter. Her mouth opened to call out “Juggy!”, but she suppressed her emotional attachments to the people and the place. Her jaw tightened as she reminded herself she was on a mission. 

Jughead was a little taller, a little leaner, even with his back turned she could tell it was him. The two empty malt shake glasses beside him or the threadbare whoopee on his head would confirm it was Jughead to anyone who knew him. Pop, behind the counter, was the same except the added gray in his hair. The infectious smile was there to greet every customer who entered.

“Good afternoon! What can I get for you today, young lady?” Pops asked Betty. One hand absently wiped the counter while he talked. “Jughead, breaks over, start getting prepped for dinner rush.”

Jughead stood up, looked at Betty, looked back at Pop, then walked towards the back of the store while putting a permanently stained apron around his neck. The ubiquitous hat was on his head, but the angle was different. Not quite as jaunty anymore. Even the affectations of her friends were coming to terms with the reality of leaving school and becoming adults in the real world.

“Good afternoon, I’ll have a chocolate malt shake and a — chicken salad,” she replied. Changing the pitch of her voice, she wanted to insure they wouldn’t have any reason to suspect she wasn’t just another stranger passing through. The temptation of a Pop’s hamburger was strong, but she found she lost her taste for them after her trip Monroeville.

“Have a seat wherever and it’ll be ready for you shortly,” Pop said.

Part of her wanted to sit at the group’s old booth. Tempt fate by seeing if Jughead or Pops would recognize her. Instead she chose the third booth on the left and sat down facing the front doors. She looked out the age-glazed windows. Looming in the center of downtown was the Lodge Industries tower. Fourteen levels of dominating brick and stone, casting its shadow over Riverdale. A shadow that Betty was determined to see removed. That’s why she was here — to see that Lodge Industries would no longer loom over Riverdale.


	2. Familiar Homes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Betty makes a contact. Time to get to work.

The hotel room had the sharp smell of disinfectants. Two full size beds sat on each side of a centrally mounted lamp. The only real difference from other hotels was the small 13” TV sitting on the dresser across from the beds. It wasn’t even a flat screen, but an old tube-style set. She put her suitcase on the nearest bed, unpacked her clothing, and checked the rest of her equipment. A camera and a .32 pistol with a box of shells. She put the pistol and shells in her bedside table. She hoped she wouldn’t need them while she was in Riverdale. The camera was equipped with wi-fi upload capabilities. Any pictures she took would be analyzed by a team on standby back at the CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia.

She went to the window and stared out from the second floor at a portion of suburban Riverdale. Nostalgia kicked in hard as she picked out her friend Dilton’s old house. Archie’s place was several blocks to the west. Her old house was just out of sight beyond the window’s edge.

Letting the curtain close, she turned and got her cellphone from her bag. She hit the speed dial and waited. It took several seconds before the connection was secured from her end. “This is Dilton,” said a voice.

“Dilton, this is Libby Strauss. I’m calling about the Xbox you have for sale,” Betty said.

“Oh — uh — yes, I still have it,” he replied.

“Good. Can we meet tomorrow to discuss the price?” Betty said.

“Yeah. How about the Blueberry Coffee Shop on Ragnar Street at 10?” Dilton said.

“Let’s make it 11,” Betty said. She wanted time to scout the location before he showed up.

“Okay, sure. 11 o’clock at Blueberry’s. Thanks. Uhh — bye,” he said and hung up.

Betty waited for the call to disconnect. Her phone’s screen went dark and the call ended. She pressed another for a different speed dial. “This is Betty Cooper. I have reached the location and arranged to meet with the contact. Nothing else to report at this time,” she said. She pressed the “END” button and put the phone down. 

Betty wondered if she would run into Archie tomorrow. Preparing the bed, she fell back on top of the comforter and closed her eyes. She would be up early to watch Dilton and the coffee shop. The last image in her mind was that of someone she hadn’t thought of in a couple of years. A freckle-faced red-haired young man by the name of Archie Andrews.


	3. Brunch with Danger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Betty meets her contact, who knows too much.

“Dilton Doiley?” Betty said to the young man who sat down across from her. He hadn’t changed much since she last saw him. Short, spectacles, and nervous. His employment with Lodge Industries was a result of the market and knowing someone who knew someone. Dilton was one of the highest paid scientists in his field. The Lodges spared no expense hiring him right out of school. His double major in electrical engineering and chemistry made him a powerful asset to their side business.

“Yes,” the voice was barely above a whisper.

“You still have the Xbox for sale?” she asked.

He stared at her for a moment. “Uhh — “.

“Matchstick men make merry mayhem,” Betty said. It was the code phrase designated by her higher-ups. “Here’s my offer,” she said. She gave him a folded sheet of paper. On it was written a name and the name of a small town in north-western Montana.

Dilton stared at the paper. His brow furrowed and one finger absently pulled at his lip. “Okay.” He held out a single red USB stick. “This is everything,” he said.

Betty took the innocuous-looking evidence. “You’re okay with this?” she said. Under the table, she acted like she was putting it in her purse, but she connected it to a short dongle that led to her cellphone. As soon as the drive was plugged in, the information on it started streaming out via a secure connection.

His fists clenched on the table. “No. But I can’t let it keep happening!” Dilton choked. “Thirteen hundred people in a single village were brutalized and murdered by those bastards. They were using our weapons. I could see the design in the video. That’s when I knew where they were going.”

“You’re right, we can’t let this happen,” Betty answered. She got up and grabbed her purse and her phone. “Goodbye, Mr. Doiley. I hope we can come to a future agreement on your Xbox.”

“Be careful — Betty,” Dilton said. He looked down at the slip of paper that represented what would probably be the next five to ten years of his new life.

“What did you say?” Betty whirled around. “What did you call me?”

He flinched as she hovered over him. “Your name. Betty Cooper. You didn’t think a wig and some makeup could disguise you that easily, did you?” Dilton said.

“If you know who I am, then we need to get you out of here,” she said.

“Why? I’m the only one who knows,” Dilton said. “Not everyone is going to be able to identify you by your voice and your walk. I listened to your voice almost every day for four years. You don’t think I’d forget it that easy?”

“You know who I am. That’s dangerous information. Too dangerous for both of us,” she said. She pulled out her cellphone and tapped in the code to contact her handler. Her phone rang seconds later. “This is Strauss,” Betty said.

“Please wait for connection,” the female voice said. Betty watched Dilton. He looked around nervously, looking everywhere except at Betty. His hands played with the zipper on his gray New York Yankees hoodie.

“This is Verde,” a male voice answered.

“We have a breach,” Betty replied. “The contact identified me. We need an extraction.” She heard papers being moved around on the other end.

“Negative on the extraction. The contact’s disappearance could jeopardize the operation. He has to stay in play until it’s finished. Then we can remove him,” Verde said. The line went dead.

Betty put away her phone. “Dilton, you can’t breathe a word that you know who I am.” She breathed in slowly. “These people are not messing around. Each one of those arms shipments is worth millions of dollars.” Another deep breath and she continued. “However — and this may sound confusing — if you feel like you are in any kind of danger, I want you to give me up immediately. Don’t try to be noble or chivalrous. Torture makes everyone talk eventually.” She knew from experience that torture came in many forms and few people had the fortitude to stand even just the mildest of tortures before they spilled their guts. The real trick was to convince the torturers that you were telling the truth.

“But I couldn’t do that …” Dilton started.

Betty stepped closer. “No! Listen to me. If you are in danger or think you’re in danger, don’t hesitate to give me up immediately. Then you find the nearest exit and flee for your life. I’m trained for this. It’s my job.”

She turned and left. Panic started to build at the back of her mind, but she kept it in check. She had to keep her cool. 

Behind her Dilton stared after her. The fear in his eyes wasn’t just for himself now.


End file.
